


sunflower

by sufianas



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, junmyeon teaches kindergarten, subaek call each other babe a lot, they're just in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24070303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sufianas/pseuds/sufianas
Summary: if junmyeon is a sunflower, then baekhyun is the sun who sustains him. sometimes sustenance includes bringing lunch to his workplace to make sure his husband is eating his meals.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Kim Junmyeon | Suho
Comments: 21
Kudos: 60





	sunflower

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired by a completely different tweet, one that doesn't even have anything to do with this ship but the phrase "bring your husband to work day" were enough to plant the seeds of a wip in my mind. we all could use soft husbands!subaek in our lives! i hope everyone's doing well in these times! remember to take care of yourself (▰˘◡˘▰)

Junmyeon's kindergarteners are usually well behaved; scratch that, they are _extremely_ well behaved. He prides himself on the impeccable manners, and quiet _please's_ and _thank you's_ that fall from their tiny mouths. Chanyeol, the teacher of the other kindergarten section would tell him he should try being a little more modest:

(His exact words would be more "Why not name yourself God while you're at it? I think the manners come from their parents. All you're guilty of is herding the children and—"

"—And molding their minds! I'm educating a brand new generation!")

He glances out the window where some of them are now playing on the swings, or the sandbox; he is careful to keep an eye out for any sudden commotions, or teary eyes. Class K2-A has gone an entire semester without a single mishap, and Junmyeon is not about to break their pristine record. The children unaccounted for on the playground are still in the lunchroom, under the watchful eyes of the lunch monitor. If Junmyeon is honest with himself, she scares him a little too. Her beady eyes are sharp enough to cut through a diamond vault, and they certainly seem to pierce through her wiry glasses. He shudders a little at the image, before returning to his lesson plan.

It sits in front of him, colour coded and with little post-its sticking from its edges: green is for units covered, red is for assignments and the school's social calendar, and yellow is for reminders. A separate, much heavier binder sits in his file holder, each detailing every student in his class: their likes, dislikes, allergies, and progress over the term of the class. Junmyeon sighs, leaning back in his chair as he rolls his shoulders, wincing at the sound of a crack. Another look towards the clock which sits above the door frame, and Junmyeon calculates that he has approximately twenty minutes before the morning break is over. He gets up, reaching for his cardigan as he trudges over to Chanyeol's classroom, which will (hopefully) be just as empty as his.

His fist hovers over the door before he brings it down, rapping a gentle knock.

"Come in!"

"Did you see the email we were all CC'd on?" Junmyeon asks in lieu of a greeting.

"Where's the ' _hi_ '? Not even a kiss in greeting? Junmyeon, where are your manners?"

He laughs, puckering his lips at his friend. "You wouldn't be able to handle me, baby." He maneuvers through the smattering of coloured, plastic chairs and desks across the room to collapse on the beanbag in the art corner. "What kind of bull is that? He just expects us to take a pay cut?"

"I heard a rumour that the soccer team didn't perform as well as they wanted, so he's bringing in a new coach. Expensive apparently."

"Screw soccer," Junmyeon grumbles, shifting to flop face first into the polystyrene cover; a terrible decision in hindsight. He is sure Chanyeol's kindergarteners have either relieved themselves, or wiped their snot, or even upchucked on this very piece of furniture many times over the years. Still, he shuts his eyes and exhales. "We're going to have to downscale our field trip."

This earns him an emphatic sigh from Chanyeol who swivels in his chair to look at his friend. "Yeah, I know. I'm not looking forward to telling a class of fifteen five year olds that we won't be going to the big aquarium in the city anymore."

Junmyeon rolls over to look at Chanyeol, eyes wide and harrowing. "...What if we pitch in our own money? For the bus rentals and the snacks? The school can't fault us for that, can they? If we aren't using school resources?"

Chanyeol hums, "I don't know. It's a good idea though, Mr. Kim."

There is a teasing lilt in his voice, one which makes Junmyeon narrow his eyes and toss whatever's nearest — a red building block — at his friend.

"Hey! We don't throw things in the classroom, that's rule number three!"

Junmyeon sticks his tongue out.

"Real mature."

"I know I am, but what are you?"

Chanyeol laughs, rolling his eyes. "Get out of here, I'll see you at lunch.”

🍎

Junmyeon splashes his face, water running into the wash basin and exhales as he straightens his back once more. He has the beginnings of a tension headache; it has nothing to do with the children he teaches and everything to do with the administration of the school. Junmyeon wonders if he'll have to bring up his concerns at the parent teacher conferences; there are some rather _influential_ parents who sit on the board, one calculated comment and it may result in an influx of funding into the kindergarten which sits separate from the rest of the school.

He groans, rubbing at his eyes to find some form of relief. The action, if anything, relaxes him and he pulls his hands away from his face to glance at his reflection in the mirror. The man smiling back at him dons a cheerful sweater, piquing the children's curiosity as they clamour to name all the shapes stitched onto the fabric. His eyes are not as tired as Junmyeon feels; for now, that is enough. Just for good measure however, Junmyeon slaps himself in the face a couple times, a light patting to keep himself awake before he heads back to the classroom.

It is lunch time right now, so the children are being watched by the lunch monitor as they dig into their school-prepared meals of fruits, juice, and since today is Thursday, a slice of pizza. Junmyeon's own stomach grumbles at the thought of food, and recalls the empty space in his bag this morning. He glances down at his watch. There are only two hours left of school, he'll have plenty of time to nip out for a snack afterwards.

His stomach whines in protest, but Junmyeon ignores it. Instead, he places his hand under the napkin dispenser, wiping his hands dry and disposing of the crinkled tissue in the trash as he heads back to his classroom. There will be plenty of dribbling mouths, and lunchtime incidents to help the monitor clean up; it is sure to keep him occupied, and away from the hunger pangs which are currently invading his mind.

Pushing the door open, Junmyeon's eyebrows furrow together when the classroom is particularly chatty. It _is_ a class of five year olds so Junmyeon should not be too surprised, but the lunch hour is the only one he can count on for some semblance of silence — on account of the children's mouths being stuffed by food. He glances around for clues, but even the lunch monitor is suspiciously absent. Junmyeon hopes for her sake that she's stepped out for a breather, or to use the bathroom; he actually enjoys Joy's presence. It would be a shame to have to give her a poor performance review at the end of the year. His eyes scan the room, at the children sitting cozily on their plastic, coloured chairs before they stop at an unfamiliar figure.

Not _unfamiliar_ per se, but certainly one that does not belong. The man sits, his back hunched and sides squished as he tries to fit on a chair not meant for his size. A smile tugs at the corners of Junmyeon's mouth and he lets it blossom, allows it to spread from cheek to cheek. His eyes twinkle, and his heart warms. Butterflies, they say, fade after the honeymoon period of a relationship. The ring which glints on his fourth finger, coupled with the monarch wings launching into a rendition of Tchaikovsky's ballet in his stomach indicates otherwise. His mouth curls into a teasing smirk.

"You fit right in, I almost didn't notice you."

" _Hey_!" There is no sign of offense being taken in the latter's voice, only the smooth honey of his charm; the very charm Junmyeon fell for all those years ago.

_(God, Junmyeon wants to kiss him)._

"You forgot your lunch at home. I saw it sitting on the counter when I came out for my third cup of coffee."

"Third cup?" Junmyeon sighs. “Babe, did you at least have breakfast?"

"...yes?"

" _Baekhyun..._ "

Baekhyun gives Junmyeon a toothy grin, the one with the twinkle in his eyes and Jumyeon feels it sap at his resolve. Before he can berate his husband any further however, Baekhyun holds out a steel lunchbox. "Here, I brought it for you. You shouldn't be skipping any meals, babe. You have to be on your feet all day to look after these little monsters."

Junmyeon's eyes widen, and he steps on Baekhyun's foot. Not enough it to cause pain, but enough to cause the slightest hurt. "Baby, you can't call my students _that_."

"I meant it affectionately!"

"Affectionately, or otherwise! What if the parents find out? I'd lose my job!"

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, and Junmyeon watches with mild amusement as he wiggles around in the too small seat before getting up. His hand comes to rest at the small of Junmyeon's back, sending a burst of warmth up Junmyeon's spine. He shudders at the feeling, but allows for his husband to guide him towards his own desk, setting the lunchbox down at his desk.

"Come on, you should eat. All the kids are too, you should set a good example."

"If I was setting a good example, you'd eat breakfast."

"I _did_ eat break—"

"—A handful of cornflakes washed down with a Monster energy drink doesn't _count_ , Baekhyun. Maybe once it did, but we're not twenty anymore!"

A wolfish grin breaks out on Baekhyun's features. "You'll always be twenty to me, baby."

Junmyeon doesn't bother with a response, instead opening the lunchbox container to the sight of the meal he had so painstakingly prepped the night before. "God, I forgot I'd made this." Twirling his fork in the lukewarm noodles, Junmyeon takes a bite and lets out a hum of approval.

From his periphery, he can see Baekhyun wrinkle his nose in disgust.

"What?"

"How can you even _eat_ that, babe? Do you have no taste buds? It's cold!"

"It isn't actually, just room temperature."

"That's worse! Have you ever had room temperature pizza? _Eugh_!"

Junmyeon snorts; sometimes, Baekhyun resembles more of a toddler than he probably intends to. "But this isn't pizza, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun waves his hands around, gesticulating. "Details."

He doesn't miss how Baekhyun leans forward anyway, anxious for a bite. Junmyeon is a fool, a lovestruck fool and he offers up a forkful, pressing the utensil to Baekhyun's lips. "I thought it was ' _eugh_ '?"

"Yeah but—" Baekhyun speaks through a mouthful, "—your cooking surpasses any temperature problems I may have."

Junmyeon flushes, his ears getting hot before he clears his throat. "Sweet talker."

"Only for you."

They are interrupted by a sweet thing in pigtails who comes over to Junmyeon's desk, her eyes wide and full of wonder. "Mr. Kim?"

Junmyeon's attention is redirected to his student, and he smiles at her, inviting and warm. "Yes, Tara?"

"I'm finished, can I go play outside?" She twists her right ankle, looking up at Junmyeon with pleading eyes. Unfortunately for her, pretensions of cuteness are a lot easier to ignore after all the years he's spent teaching five year olds.

"Only if some of your other friends are done too, okay? I don't want you playing outside without supervision, you remember the rules." He nods, preemptively, towards the rules laminated on the wall; one of which clearly states that each student must go somewhere with a buddy.

The girl nods, turning back to sit and mingle with her friends as she waits for them to finish eating, or for the clock to run out: whichever one comes first.

With the problem solved, Junmyeon turns back to Baekhyun and sighs at the sight which greets him. "I can't leave you alone for half a second, babe." There is warmth in his exasperation as Junmyeon extends a thumb forward, gently wiping away the sauce which had gathered around the corner of Baekhyun's mouth. "Are you going home after this?"

"Depends, do you want a ride home? The next pages of my comic aren't due for another few weeks, and I've completed the storyboard."

Junmyeon hums, pondering his choices. He reaches for the lesson plan which sits in his file holder, flipping the pages till he reaches the day he's looking for. "We have Show and Tell after lunch, maybe you should stay. The kids tell really imaginative stories. Who knows? Maybe you'll be _inspired_ for your next comic serial?"

"You just want me to stay."

"That too."

Baekhyun smiles, and Junmyeon's world gets a little brighter than before.

🍎

The children have all gathered in a circle, their desks and chairs pushed to the sides to make room for Show and Tell. Junmyeon knows some teachers frown upon using activities meant for _toddlers_ in a kindergarten class, especially one that is a step below primary school, but Junmyeon uses the activity for a different purpose. He finds that the activity allows his students to unlock their imaginations, to practice their storytelling, and asking questions to one another.

"Mr. Kim! Mr. Kim!" The cacophony of children's voices grow louder as they raise their little hands, wiggling their chubby fingers in an attempt to get his attention.

Junmyeon smooths his palms on his jeans and smiles at the children demanding his attention. "Yes?"

"Are you going to do Show and Tell today too?"

He laughs, running a hand through his hair. "Yes I am, Tyler. I thought I should do it too!"

There is cheer from the kids, who barely grasp the concept of it but it warms Junmyeon's heart all the same. Letting go of his children at the end of each school year is difficult for him, after having spent ten months getting to know them, wiping their tears, taking joy in their laughter.

"What did you bring, Mr. Kim? A flower?"

"No. Good guess though, Nari!"

"A toy car?"

"A camera?"

"A stuffie? Like Blossom?"

The guesses are endless, and Junmyeon humours them. He watches as they bounce off of each other's speculations, before eventually putting their inquisition to rest. "I brought a person."

"A person?" One of the girls wrinkles her nose, as if the idea is displeasing. "That's cheating, Mr. Kim!"

He laughs, "I know, darling. Mr. Kim cheated, but this is a very _important_ person." Junmyeon glances to where Baekhyun is sitting at his desk; there is an odd expression on his features, one which Junmyeon has never seen before. It clutches at his heart with uncertainty before he shakes off the feeling. "Class, I want you to meet Mr. Baekhyun."

"Hi, Mr. Baekhyun," they recite dutifully, and Junmyeon hides a smile behind his hand as they struggle to pronounce the name with the same ease as Junmyeon. He doesn't blame them for it, but—

"—Ah, you kids can call me Bacon!"

One of the boys closer to Junmyeon giggles. "But that's food!"

_Bacon? Really?_ Junmyeon mouths at his husband who only shrugs and grins before taking a seat next to him.

"Everyone likes bacon, right?"

There is a resounding chime of yes's from the children who are now enraptured with Baekhyun; Baekhyun revels in the attention. Junmyeon knows him, knows he can be somewhat of a peacock; all those adoring eyes on him will stroke his ego for weeks to come.

"Mr. Kim, why did you bring Mr. Bacon to class for Show and Tell?"

Oh no, the nickname's going to stick; Junmyeon suddenly regrets allowing his husband to stay for the last segment of his day. "Mr. Kim and Mr. Baekhyun are married, that's why. This week's assignment was to bring something important to you, Mr. Baekhyun is important to me."

"Married? Like my mom and dad?"

"Yes, exactly like that."

"Do you have kids too?"

Junmyeon laughs, feeling a weird lump in his throat. "No, Raj. We don't have kids, besides I have you guys, don't I?"

This apparently satisfies all the kids as they come over to hug him. Junmyeon catches Baekhyun's eye over the puppy pile the children have created and the unreadable expression is back on his face. A storm takes root in his chest, and Junmyeon tries his best to push the dark cloud away; at least until later.

🍎

They're sitting in the car, Junmyeon sipping on a smoothie, and a takeout bag of fries sitting in his lap. The car is parked by the beach, the sound of waves crashing against the shore, seagulls honking, and passerby's chattering fade into the background as white noise. Somewhere Junmyeon knows he should ask Baekhyun, free himself from the worry which sits in his heart, resembling an unwelcome guest. He hesitates still, fearing that maybe it is all in his head; maybe he's just overthinking, pushing his own insecurities and worries onto his carefree husband.

"I can hear you thinking all the way here."

"Hm?"

Baekhyun flicks his forehead. "Stop thinking so hard, your head will explode and then I'll be left to clean up your brain matter out of my car."

A laugh rips through him, and Junmyeon looks to Baekhyun with warm eyes. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make everything better when I feel the opposite?"

Baekhyun's expression softens. He leans closer, torso pressing against the gear as he brushes Junmyeon's hair out of his eyes. "I love you, baby."

The elephant on Junmyeon's chest relents and his shoulders slump. The worry in his eyes fades away as they crinkle into a smile. "I love you too."

Pleased, Baekhyun leans back and goes back to staring at the ocean through their car window. The silence between them possesses a certain comfort, a kind of closeness that Junmyeon has never felt before. He thinks he could drown in this quietude.

He shifts to his side, wanting to see Baekhyun in more than just his periphery. He watches the way his eyes twinkle, the way they sharpen in focus; they shine like stars, like the ones Junmyeon looks up at in the night sky to be reassured of his part in this big world. Baekhyun tethers him to the ground, pulls him back from his own thoughts. He does it without words, with only his eyes and Junmyeon wonders how he got so lucky.

"What are you thinking about?"

" _You_." Honesty bleeds into his tone, otherwise taut with honeyed affection.

The words settle between them, blanketing the car. There is no need for language in this moment; Junmyeon knows everything Baekhyun wishes to say, and he knows Baekhyun feels the same.

Instead, he leans in and hooks his fingers under Baekhyun's chin, pulling him in for a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos, as always, are appreciated (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
> 
> come talk to me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/522overdose) or [curious cat!](https://curiouscat.me/522overdose)


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